Severe drought and record-breaking fires in Ecuador have devastated communities and ecosystems, especially in Loja and Azuay.
Ecuador is enduring one of the most devastating fire seasons in its history, with 2024 already recorded as the worst year for forest fires in over a decade. As of November 21st, fires have consumed 76,663 hectares of vegetation in 5,318 incidents across the country.
This figure is more than double the land lost to fires in 2023 and marks a troubling new record, with active fires continuing to spread, particularly in the southern provinces of Azuay and Loja.
The unprecedented destruction is largely attributed to a severe drought that has plagued Ecuador this year. The drought has caused significant challenges nationwide, from lowering water levels that have triggered ongoing power outages to creating the dry conditions that have fueled these massive forest fires. With more than a month left in the year, the toll on both human lives and the environment continues to grow.
Loja: Ecuador’s Fire Hotspot
The southern province of Loja has emerged as the epicenter of this crisis. It has reported 275 fires this year, which have scorched 32,958 hectares of land—42 percent of the national total.
The fires have taken a tragic toll on local communities, leaving seven people injured, 235 homeless, and 317 directly affected, according to the Risk Secretariat. Additionally, the fires have killed 12,670 animals and impacted another 4,134.
Loja also recorded the most devastating fire of the past decade between August 23rd and early September. This inferno tore through the cantons of Quilanga and Loja, burning 7,200 hectares of vegetation. The blaze displaced 31 families, destroyed three homes, and damaged 17 others. More than 6,000 animals perished as a result.
Even as communities worked to recover, another fire broke out in Vilcabamba. This ongoing blaze has already burned 3,700 hectares, including 124 hectares within the boundaries of the Podocarpus National Park. The Vilcabamba fire has also claimed the lives of 24 animals and destroyed 35 apiaries, dealing a severe blow to local beekeepers. Earlier in November, a fire in the Fierro Hurco parish consumed over 1,500 hectares, adding to the devastation.
Azuay: The Second Most Affected Province
Though less impacted than Loja, Azuay has also suffered immensely this year. With 14,551 hectares burned across 767 fires, it is the second most affected province in Ecuador. These fires have left five people injured, 633 residents affected, and 20 animals dead.
One of the most significant incidents in Azuay occurred in Tigranaloma and San Antonio Alto, where a fire that began on November 9th has already consumed 2,660 hectares.
Meanwhile, a fire in Molleturo, which spread into the iconic Cajas National Park, has been brought under control but not yet fully extinguished. This blaze damaged 1,389 hectares of protected vegetation, further highlighting the environmental toll of the fires.
A Catastrophic Month
November has proven to be the most destructive month not only in 2024 but also in the last 14 years of recorded fire data. With severe drought conditions persisting, fires have spread rapidly, overwhelming firefighting resources and threatening both rural communities and natural habitats.
As Ecuador confronts the aftermath of this devastating fire season, communities in Azuay and Loja remain on edge, bracing for the possibility of more destruction.
With resources stretched thin and some fires still active, the country faces a monumental challenge in rebuilding its ecosystems and supporting those affected by the crisis.
I’ve live in Vilcabamba and the national government has done nothing to help those people who have been so seriously affected.
The community has been providing donations to help the bomberos, but nothing has come from the national government other than words and promises. Basta!